Going in to this weekend's District Event at Hartford Public High School in Hartford, CT, members and mentors alike on Elm City Robo Squad had no idea what to expect. After building an almost entirely new robot in just 11 hours, we didn't know how "Brick" would hold up. And in fact, after our first few matches of the day ended in less than satisfactory results, we knew it would take a lot of hard work and modifications to be able to place in the Top 8 at the end of Qualifications.

But, as always, our students were able to rise to the challenge, we were 8th seed at the end of Qualifications, and and we were picked by the #1 alliance captain, CyberKnights FRC Team 195. Along with our third alliance partner, Operation PEACCE Robotics FRC Team 3461, we were able to grab the victory!

As if the comeback wasn't enough, members were driven to tears after it was announced that, yes, our hard work had payed off and we had been awarded the most sought after award FIRST offers - The Chairman's Award, due to our outstanding outreach into the community, our exemplary gracious professionalism, and to overall encompassing of FIRST morals and values as a team.

And now, we'd like to use this moment to thank everybody who got us here:

To our alliance:We killed it out there! We showed everybody exactly what happens when teams are so in sync that they CAN'T fail! You've supported us when things were looking rough, and we've done the same to you. So, to all of the members on Team 195 and Team 3461, thank you.

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To our mentors:Where do we even start? You guys share our highest and lowest moments with us out on that field. You make us laugh, you take the stress off of our shoulders when things don't go right, and you support us through everything. Whether that means dancing with us out in the stands, calming us down before a match, or helping us do things we could've never done on our own, you've all been a huge part of our team. You're there to remind us that it's just a game, but you're also there to cheer with us when we win - because it's more than just a game. It's an alliance between you and the students. And that dynamic is really what makes our team special.

​To our students:It's your hard work and dedication that's made this team champions. Whether you're a Chairman's presenter, part of the drive team, part of the pit crew, work on scouting, or are just there to cheer on, it's you who have really allowed us to win during competitions. I hope you had a wonderful experience during these last two districts, whether it's encouraging the drivers to "Drop the Intake and Mess Stuff Up" (Keep it PG, guys) or taking selfies with other teams, it's been an amazing time, and we hope you guys bring that same energy to District Championships!

​To our sponsors: We can't thank you enough for everything you've done that allows this team to run. We, literally, wouldn't be able to function as a team without all of your support. We owe our ability to succeed to you. Thank you.